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Category Archives: Design

In Italian, the word for design and drawing are one in the same. Here we acknowledge the effort to rise beyond function to apply a language which pulls us in. To draw desire at the bottom of the well of our emotional self,

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A canopy of yellow tulips smiles at diners from above. Like Chihuly except real petals and not spun glass. We are awed because it defies convention. In this fantasy land, flowers lean over and inhale our perfume. We live by simple rules. They provide structure and quite the chaos. In language we call this grammar. An orderly sequencing of words in predictable patterns. Noun-verb-object. With flourishes of adjectives, adverbs and prepositional phrases to add context and color. Our dining experience […]

Our minds speak many languages. Because our body’s very design is multi-lingual. Consider the diversity of information we receive through our senses. The smell of a room. The color of a dress. The feel of mahogany. They all inform beyond what our ears discern. Part of the mystery of these languages is how we move the narrative forward from place to place. It’s a turning of a page into a new chapter. The story continues but we have quitted the damp tavern and into light of Spring. The moment just before […]

They are a people rooted in design. From early frescoes of Padua to pointed Prada wingtips, Italians are born into fluency with line, shape and color. Unafraid to exploit pigments from the earth. And dream them into patterns. To adorn the world. To tell stories through pictures. To refine the art of dining. So what might be a color so exotic, so profane that would halt the Sicilian stylist? Or the Sienna Chef? Actually the jury is still out. But […]

Ikea represents more than a big box retailer at the edge of town. It’s more than an ode to Sweden or contemporary design. Or the continuously cost-cutting enterprise flagged in yellow and blue. It’s the firm that put the buyer into their factory. You might argue that unassembled furniture is much more compact. And that efficiency of space lowers the cost of goods sold. But an artist’s mind is at work. By inviting it’s customer to join in on production, they […]

We crave embellishment. The lace on a dress. The cornice where the wall meets the ceiling. The violins swelling as the most memorable line of the movie is uttered. The same remains true for the architecture of a meal. Would that fish and rice stand solely as nourishment, we’d have no use for tartar sauce or soy. Our hot dogs and hamburgers would lie plain. And we’d savor that protein tidal wave from the Summer grill un-aided by condiments. And yet […]

The year is 1999. Federal courts declare Microsoft a monopoly. George “double-yah” rises as the top Republican hopeful. Brittnay Spears is still a child and not having children. And Bud Light captures our attention with Real Men of Genius on the radio. In that advertising campaign, agency DDB Worldwide to took careful aim to lampoon our obsession with indulgence. In this radio spot they expose irony of a 1200 calorie taco salad. Complete with an edible, deep-fried tortilla shell. The music overlay […]

The eyes of the artist penetrate the artifice of this world. They look for connections between realities. Tensions that need to be amplified with a flick of color or a unique angle. It is this sensibility which gives Andy Warhol his power. A single image: a skull on a table; Marilyn Monroe; an electric chair. Images which repeatedly appear with alternating hues. Darks become light. Mossy greens fade to cold gray. In isolation, each piece reaches deep into our emotional center. Hung […]

It is a shade of blue that rarely appears in nature. Perhaps on a sunny day in the Mediterranean, the sea will offer up this crisscross of blue and green. A faint touch of milk to smooth out the acidity of refracted light. It might also appear in the nest of a mother robin. An eggshell painted for Easter’s new day. Or perhaps the shade of a semi-precious gemstone from the Navajo desert. Turquoise set into necklaces and bracelets line the stalls […]

Twister is a fun game. The dial spins. Left hand on red dot. Another spin. Left foot on blue. Then right on yellow. It continues until the family contorts into a modern sculpture anchored on a blanket of colored circles. Then gravity bests even those with the mightiest of yoga skills. The group collapses and laughter erupts. The game resets with everyone on their feet. We continue to play until our bodies, not our brains give out. The combinations stimulate […]

Ask an evolutionary biologist about stripes and they will wax poetic about tigers, zebras and angelfish. In their view, these animals gained vertical striations for camouflage. To disappear into the environment. When we admire their physical beauty, it’s usually separate from where they prowl or hide. From a designers perspective, these natural patterns deliver appeal to clothes, drapes and rugs. Our brains delight in change. A departure from the homogeneous. Smart chefs have picked up on this trick. Sauces loaded […]